Then the BBC should know better (and it's something I have ranted about before on here).

F1-Live and a whole host of other web/parasites use a news syndicate from Australia called GMM.

GMM aggregate F1 news stories (and unreliable ones at that) and then resell them to news sites across the globe. Problem is, that most of the stories are badly translated and they often seem to deliberately miss vital information in to make them sound more exciting than they actually are.

Example: Alonso's plane crash incident about a year ago. GMM 'accidentally' missed the word 'taxiing' from their news release and made the factual, but dull, story sound much more exciting then it actually was - Alonso's plane brushed a fence.

If you trace back many of F1's controversies (the kind that get fans all riled up), you'll probably find a GMM misquote at the root of it all.

They need to make money, but aren't journalists. They're sensationalist rubbish. And importantly, they have a quota of stories to produce daily, which if memory serves me well is between 8-15 a day. Imagine doing that during the off season?

? Nope, doesn't confirm negotiations - just the same things repeated at many places, a little bit modified. I haven't seen nothing really that would not have been at f1.com or at autosport.com or here at this forum. It's just the same stories repeated many times over.

? Nope, doesn't confirm negotiations - just the same things repeated at many places, a little bit modified. I haven't seen nothing really that would not have been at f1.com or at autosport.com or here at this forum. It's just the same stories repeated many times over.

The story in Helsingin Sanomat clearly states that Norbert Haug confirms that Kimi's management have called Mercedes GP's Nick Fry in order to open negotiations.

Ah, OK. There is that little bit. So Kimi's manager has contacted them and offered negotiations. It just does not qualify as "they are negotiating" in my eyes

Negotiations have been offered, but we have no idea if Mercedes is interested. Haug saying a "Kimi has my number" is pretty much a standard answer from him. It's quick and easy to shut up some pesky reporters with that line. For a moment at least

HS doens't have any sources, they just messed up the translation of Haug wanting Kimi to call him

Ha! The Amus article doesn't even mention Nick Fry. Helsingin Sanomat received the confirmation of the contact made by Kimi's mangement directly from Haug. No other newspaper in the world has yet reported about it.

Based on what? In ten years, he might have beaten all of his team mates, but all of them have gone on to bigger and better things. It's pretty telling that Heidfed has remained static. He doesn't bring anything that Mercedes needs, and his signing will only ostracise them from the rest of the paddock as they'll be a Grman team with two German drivers; McLaren might have done the same with British drivers, but this is not their maiden season. If Mercedes sign Heidfeld, they'd better hope Rosberg can carry the weght of their title campaign because thre's no way Heidfeld is going to rise to the occasion.

And if you think he deserves the seat fr senitmental reasons, may I direct you attention to Ferrari giving Badoer a race seat for those reasons?

People said the same thing for Jenson Button and look at what happened this season.

I direct you to Button's 2004 season when he was the best of the non-Ferraris. When did Heidfeld have a season like that? He's never been higher than fifth. The name "Quick Nick" is misleading - I can't recall the last time he was noticeably fast.

I direct you to Button's 2004 season when he was the best of the non-Ferraris. When did Heidfeld have a season like that? He's never been higher than fifth. The name "Quick Nick" is misleading - I can't recall the last time he was noticeably fast.

So what? Heidfeld has never that kind of opportunity Button got in 2009.

Button's reputation pre-2009 was that of a washed driver barely hanging on to F1. Now, he's the greatest thing next to sliced bread.

So just because Jenson Button lucked into a good drive - which he didn't do, really, since he had been with the team in its various forms since 2003 - then Heidfeld should be granted a good racing seat?

Hey, I know! Christian Klien has been a test driver for a long time, and he's from Austria, which is right next door to Germany. He should be given the Mercedes seat instead because Austria isn't represented by a driver!

I direct you to Button's 2004 season when he was the best of the non-Ferraris. When did Heidfeld have a season like that? He's never been higher than fifth. The name "Quick Nick" is misleading - I can't recall the last time he was noticeably fast.

Sticking a craptacular Williams with pogo-stick suspension and more drag than the Titanic on pole and finishing second in the race is not "noticeably fast" you say?

I direct you to Button's 2004 season when he was the best of the non-Ferraris. When did Heidfeld have a season like that? He's never been higher than fifth. The name "Quick Nick" is misleading - I can't recall the last time he was noticeably fast.

2007. In 2004 ferrai was the only team that was really dominant. In 2007 it was both ferrari and mclaren the dominant teams after that heidfeld was the best of the rest.

So just because Jenson Button lucked into a good drive - which he didn't do, really, since he had been with the team in its various forms since 2003 - then Heidfeld should be granted a good racing seat?

Hey, I know! Christian Klien has been a test driver for a long time, and he's from Austria, which is right next door to Germany. He should be given the Mercedes seat instead because Austria isn't represented by a driver!

It's not that Button does not deserve a good drive. It's that it's very unclear to me and to a lot of other people why there is such neglect towards Heidfeld. For example, Joe Saward seems to think that a Rosberg-Heidfeld lineup at Mercedes is less impressive than Rosberg-Kubica and MUCH less impressive than Rosberg-Button. Why???

W/r/t Kubica - in their years together in BMW, there hasn't been much to pick between the two. I'd struggle to come up with a clear case one way or another. So why the hell is a Rosberg-Kubica lineup a more impressive one than Rosberg-Heidfeld?

And Button is WDC, sure, but as has been pointed out by others above, prior to this year he'd probably be less in demand than either Heidfeld or Kubica. And indeed, if we abstract from the fact that Brawn has been so dominant and imagine that another team (say Mclaren) was getting all the 1-2s in the first half of the season, we'd describe Button's season of 09 as any other of his seasons vis-a-vis his teammate: win some, loose some. The only reason to keep Jense, in fact, would be that Brawn needs a reference point: they know that Button can win if the car is dominant (and Jenson likes the setup), so if they are not winning next year with either car, they'll know it's not because of obscenely shoddy driving. Other than that, Heidfeld is as good a pick as there can be out of the remaining free agents.

A team statement said: "The team will continue to be known as Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, its distinctive silver-with-red livery will remain unchanged, and Mercedes-Benz will continue as both an engine supplier and a partner."

There are fearless drivers who have the killer instinct, the Alonso's, Hamiltons, Vettels, Kubica's off the world etc, and there are those who are a bit more mid field. Heidfeld is mid field, he'll collect some points in the background but he just doesn't have that x factor. Solid and reliable yes, but no excitement. Great no.2, but not the no.1 who is going to push it to the edge (and over sometimes). Given that Rosberg is also more no.2 than no.1 material as well, Mercedes need either Kimi or Kubica to get some oomph in their lineup or tbh they are not looking good for next year. Hence why I believe they are waiting to see what happens with Renault and using the time to make Kimi sweat as well.

There are fearless drivers who have the killer instinct, the Alonso's, Hamiltons, Vettels, Kubica's off the world etc, and there are those who are a bit more mid field. Heidfeld is mid field, he'll collect some points in the background but he just doesn't have that x factor. Solid and reliable yes, but no excitement. Great no.2, but not the no.1 who is going to push it to the edge (and over sometimes). Given that Rosberg is also more no.2 than no.1 material as well, Mercedes need either Kimi or Kubica to get some oomph in their lineup or tbh they are not looking good for next year. Hence why I believe they are waiting to see what happens with Renault and using the time to make Kimi sweat as well.

I agree with this, BUT only because I think Nico has not shown (gotten attention) of racing world yet. I think he has it to be number 1. Shame on that is that I thinkalso Heikki has it what it takes to be number 1, but he caved in and maybe lost his chance when he agreed to lapdog Lewis, while Nico very much is on the rise, although still not the de facto number 1, which is why Mercerdez need a big name.

There are still 2 big proven names available for Mercedez:- Robert, (if Renault decide to bail out of F1) as he is a proven GB winner, but has he shown enough with car not so good?)- Kimi, he has shown all, but does he ask too much?

Heidfeld is mid field, he'll collect some points in the background but he just doesn't have that x factor. Solid and reliable yes, but no excitement. Great no.2, but not the no.1 who is going to push it to the edge (and over sometimes). Given that Rosberg is also more no.2 than no.1 material as well, Mercedes need either Kimi or Kubica to get some oomph in their lineup or tbh they are not looking good for next year. Hence why I believe they are waiting to see what happens with Renault and using the time to make Kimi sweat as well.

There are fearless drivers who have the killer instinct, the Alonso's, Hamiltons, Vettels, Kubica's off the world etc, and there are those who are a bit more mid field. Heidfeld is mid field, he'll collect some points in the background but he just doesn't have that x factor. Solid and reliable yes, but no excitement. Great no.2, but not the no.1 who is going to push it to the edge (and over sometimes). Given that Rosberg is also more no.2 than no.1 material as well, Mercedes need either Kimi or Kubica to get some oomph in their lineup or tbh they are not looking good for next year. Hence why I believe they are waiting to see what happens with Renault and using the time to make Kimi sweat as well.

What nonsense.In '05 Williams, Webber was the clear No.1 to provide the "killer instinct", "the x-factor", "the excitement" and the "oomph".And Heidfeld edged him out.Did it again to Kubica 3 out of 4 years.Heidfeld doesn't have the high profile. He just gests on with it.Yes, most of his team mates have gone on to win races. Always in better cars.Time to give Heidfeld a better car.If he fails, like Fisi, then we know.Having beaten them or matched them, there is strong reason to believe he will succeeds, like Kimi, Massa and Webber.

I am a bit ashamed if Nick again gets the short stick againts Kimi, but
that is the life in F1. I value Nick highly, which some don't understand
since I sing praises for Kimi even more. However, I think Nick truly is
the most underrated F1 driver of current crop. If it weren't for the fact
that he seems to vie for same seat as Kimi (again) I'd back him 100%!

The more I read this forum, the more I see, that most controversy arouses , not around Alonso (even with *gates), not Hamilton, not Button, not Kimi, any WDC, but Heidfeld.

"Heidfeld beaten Kubica" - "No he's not! Don't look at the points, take more factors than only Points! - "But Heidfeld outscored Kubica 3 times in 4 seasons" - "Because he had no luck, and dog of a car, except 2008, and look what happend!" - "But Nick struggled with tyres, that wasn't his fault..." - "Kubica won a GP!" - "Heidfeld let him through to take one-two for BMW!" blablabla

"Heidfeld beaten Kimmi/Mass" - "So what? They were rookies, but look which drivers choosen the bosses of the top teams!" blablabla

"Heidfeld is an good stable no 2 driver, without >>the edge<< to be WDC material" - "No he is not! He hadn't the opportunity to have a winning car!" blablabla

The more I read this forum, the more I see, that most controversy arouses , not Alonso (even with *gates), not Hamilton, not Button, not Kimi, any WDC, only Heidfeld.

"Heidfeld beaten Kubica" - "No he's not! Don't look at the points, take more factors than only Points! - "But Heidfeld outscored Kubica 3 times in 4 seasons" - "Because he had no luck, and dog of a car, except 2008, and look what happend!" - "But Nick struggled with tyres, that wasn't his fault..." - "Kubica won a GP!" - "Heidfeld let him through to take one-two for BMW!" blablabla

"Heidfeld beaten Kimmi/Mass" - "So what? They were rookies, but look which drivers choosen the bosses of the top teams!" blablabla

"Heidfeld is an good stable no 2 driver, without >>the edge<< to be WDC material" - "No he is not! He hadn't the opportunity to have a winning car!" blablabla